1. Top Surgery By: Kat Constine

2. FTM: The Basics of “Top Surgery” “Top Surgery” is a common term used to describe FTM chest surgery According to the DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) anyone with the following symptoms falls into the category of GID (Gender Identity Disorder)

3. Gender Identity Disorder and Max Criteria for Diagnosis: A persistent cross-gender identification A persistent discomfort with the assigned gender roles of that sex There must be clinical evidence of significant distress or impairment in social functioning, occupational functioning etc. For people diagnosed with severe GID or transsexualism, sex reassignment surgery combined with hormone therapy has proven to be a very effective treatment. Also for FTM, top surgery is usually the first surgery performed, and sometimes the only surgery they undergo.

4. Top Surgery There are two methods of Top Surgery: Method Number 1: Double Incision, Method Number 2: Keyhole Method (peri-areolar breast reduction) Keyhole v.s Double Incision Breast size Keyhole is a much smaller procedure, there is a lack of control of nipple placement, and a possible “death” of nipple after resizing. Also, if there is any excess skin under nipple this may cause irregularities in the contour of the lower chest since skin contracts unpredictably after surgery. A Double Incision method also provides a quicker solution to a male contoured chest as the Keyhole method may take several months before a full male contoured chest is achieved Costs are generally between 5,000 to 10,000 dollars but varies for each physician

7. Statement about breasts and femininity

8. “It’s life and death for me too” –Max